Like most people, I tend to get extremely busy. Yet I feel a calling to be involved in the community.
With precious time, I am careful where I invest my energy, and who I volunteer for. However, I see the importance of volunteering, and the impact I have on the community.
When people commit to volunteering for a longer period, the organization has more impact in the community.
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Community groups and organizations will always say that they have a need for more volunteers, particularly, leaders. People who can cast vision, walk the hard yards to carry an organization when things get difficult.
Every organization goes through struggling times, particularly in the area of finding workers, for people to take on the less glamorous roles. So volunteers are needed who will dedicate their time and effort, to a cause and for a purpose for a longer duration.
It is easy to volunteer for a one-off event or short term project. We recently had floods throughout one of our major cities. Many people gave time and energy to help people prepare for, or assist cleaning up after the floods. However, many of these same people won’t commit to volunteering for long-term to a similar cause.
When people commit to volunteering for a longer period, the organization has more impact in the community. It can gain momentum, reach out to more individuals in the community, and raise the profile of the cause. All of which means that the more active volunteers, the more people that can be helped.
Men have a particular effect on a group when they volunteer. Without diminishing the role and importance of women, (because they bring certain skills and value to an organization), men have a unique set of giftings that they are able to contribute.
Some (eg. Pawson in ‘Leadership is Male,’) argues that men bring a Godly leadership to an organization (please understand that I believe that women have a leadership gifting and role to play, just a different role.) I believe that men bring a different type of leadership, particularly in churches and religious organizations. There is a certain blessing that follows. I do recognize though that there are many incidents in ancient and modern history, of men failing to lead, so women have stood up, successfully filling the leadership gap.
New connections with community leaders, as well as the serving with family, builds stronger ties.
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Men bring a different perspective to leadership, volunteering and tasks than women. Not better, just different, meaning a balance is required.
Volunteering provides a different opportunity from the workplace. This allows people to utilize the skills and knowledges that they currently have, in a different context.
Volunteering builds capacity in people. It stretches people beyond their current capacity, allowing for the development of new skills that can be applied in various aspects of life.
When you volunteer in different organizations, the opportunity arises to build networks with other people, including community leaders. Networking increases your sphere of influence with leaders in business and the community.
The concept of ‘five degrees of separation’ proclaims that we are only five connections away from everyone in the world. A friend, of a friend, of a friend, of a friend, is a friend of the President. Connections through volunteering—opens doors of connections, and allows invitations to events and meetings with people with connections.
New connections with people, whether they are a leader or not, allows new prospects for life and business. It provides the opportunities for us to grow our business, and venture into new avenues.
Having a role in the community, was great for our family. It opened doors for my children to see and serve beside me, and taught them valuable lessons about the community. It provided for the whole family a sense of belonging, particularly, in church. The connections were valuable for my children, as it opened doors for their future, and connected them to business and community leaders.
Time is still limited and precious. Therefore, there are some principles to apply to ensure that we don’t burn out. Balance is required in life. Balance between family, work and community service.
Priorities need to be set. For myself, I have set priorities, for what is important for me. Firstly, comes my wife. She is the love of my life, and my greatest supporter. My family, my children come next. My workplace follows, as I have a principle of being the best employee that I can.
My community service follows. Even within the category, there are priorities. I have a ministry of service within my local church. I have a leadership role with my Rotary club. There are other leadership roles in many other community organizations that I am involved in. For each priority area, I allocate time and energy, out of the resources that I have.
Therefore we need to ensure we have a balance in life, in priorities, ensuring that we have set time for important areas of our lives.
Personally, I invest time, energy and expertise, voluntarily with: Oasis New Life Church in Rockhampton, Australia; Rotary Club of Yeppoon; Parents and Citizens Associations in Queensland; Toastmasters International; Chaplaincy; University of Southern Queensland Alumni; and with many other organizations. I invest resources in mentoring leaders and teachers; teaching others; writing articles; and public speaking.
Volunteering makes an enormous impact on the wider community, all the more so, when men volunteer. New connections with community leaders, as well as the serving with family, builds stronger ties. And you never know what opportunities may open up because of it.
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Photo: Getty Images